The invention broadly relates to the disposal of contaminated or hazardous waste of the type normally found in hospital environments. Such wastes include sharp or pointed objects such as hypodermic needles, body fluids and tissue, wound dressings, and other matter which must be safely segregated in manner which avoids any personal contact therewith.
For both safety and convenience, recent efforts in this area have involved the utilization of containers which, after having received the waste material, are disposed of in their entirety. Such containers consist of sturdy cartons of corrugated cardboard or the like with an internal plastic bag and, if desired, a bag-stabilizing liner. An example of such a construction will be noted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,052, issued Sept. 5, 1989 to Lambert. The plastic bag provides protection against leakage while the cardboard container, as well as the inner liner thereof also normally of cardboard, provide for an effective retention of the sharp items until such time as the entire container can be incinerated.
In the environment of use of container or receptacle for contaminated materials, the container remains open for the convenient introduction of the waste materials, and is only finally sealed when the container is to be readied for disposal. The open container, either accidentally or intentionally, is on occasion moved or shifted. As such, with existing containers there is the possibility of a disruption in the normally provided restrictive opening through which the waste is introduced, and/or an improper grasping of the container by personnel when an intentional shifting of the open container is undertaken. In both situations, accidental contamination is possible.
Other factors which have been found to affect the practicality of the known disposable containers include the cost, particularly as the container is a single-use throwaway item, the ease of assembly, and the sturdiness of construction.